While studying Preventive and Social Medicine (PSM), I stumbled upon Health Economics, a subject I initially assumed was only about budgets and finance.
Instead, I discovered a field that explains why healthcare systems make the decisions they do.
Why can’t every hospital have every technology?
Why is prevention often more cost-effective than treatment?
Why do some countries achieve better health outcomes despite spending less?
If these questions interest you, here are some excellent resources:
1. Health Economics — Charles E. Phelps
A beginner-friendly introduction to the principles of health economics, healthcare financing, insurance, and resource allocation.
2. Health Economics — Jay Bhattacharya, Timothy Hyde & Peter Tu
A comprehensive text connecting economics with medicine, health policy, and healthcare decision-making.
3. World Health Organization (WHO)
Explore reports on:
- Universal Health Coverage (UHC)
- Health Financing
- Primary Health Care
- Health Systems Strengthening
4. World Bank
Excellent resources on:
- Health systems
- Economic development
- Healthcare financing
- Universal health coverage
- India’s National Health Accounts (NHA)
If you’re interested in Indian healthcare, these reports show:
- Who pays for healthcare?
- How much comes from government spending?
- How much do families pay out of pocket?
- Where healthcare funds are actually spent?
Health economics isn’t just for economists.
It’s for doctors, public health professionals, researchers, policymakers, hospital administrators, and anyone interested in understanding how healthcare works beyond the clinic.
Sometimes, the biggest healthcare decisions aren’t made in hospitals.
They’re made in policy rooms, budget meetings, and public health planning.
What’s one healthcare topic you’ve recently discovered that completely changed the way you think?
MBH/PS